Querida
by scoob2222
Summary: Weevile's niece, Ophelia, makes him see the light about his friend Mac.


If any of his old boys knew that Eli Navarro was spending his Saturday nights babysitting and playing Scrabble they would have fallen over themselves laughing.

But he had a test and only a month to study for it.

A test to prove he was ready to teach the youth of America, or California at least. A test that would ask him ridiculous questions that he would never really need to know, except for this test.

It was in the last three weeks before the test that Mac came up with the Scrabble game, adjusting the rules so that the words they laid down he then had to define. It was actually working pretty well, much better than studying from a list, or, dios those flashcards that he'd excitedly shredded last week.

It was on one of these Scrabble nights, after Mac had left that Ophelia had asked him a question.

"Uncle Eli."

"Yes, princess."

"Is Mac you girlfriend?"

"No, why would you think that Ophelia?"

"Well she's here all the time and you always watch me together."

"Well, you know that Mac is helping me study for my test. That's all. Guys and girls can spend time together and just be friends. Just like Veronica is my friend, or how your friends with Darrel and Ryan."

"But Darrel doesn't call me sweetheart."

"What?"

"You call Mac your sweetheart. Querida, like Danny calls Mommy, you call Mac that all the time. I counted tonight and you called her querida twenty times."

He opened his mouth to explain why it was that he called Mac sweetheart when he'd never used the word in his life and when she definitely was not his girlfriend…except no explanation came. His mouth just hung open and now his niece's eyes were sparkling in glee.

He thought back over what she'd said, trying to find an explanation…and then his eyes narrowed, "Wait, you said Darrel doesn't call you sweetheart. What about Ryan?"

His niece rolled her eyes and tried to hide her blush, "Uncle Eli that is not the point. The point is that you like Mac. Eli and Mac kissing in a tree K-I-S-S…."

Ophelia stopped when her uncle's hand covered her mouth. He narrowed his eyes at her, "you keep singing and the next time Ryan calls and I'm going to threaten to hang him by his toes if he comes near you."

Ophelia's own eyes narrowed in a perfect imitation of her uncle as she pulled away, "Fine," she said, "but don't blame me when Mac finds someone else to date."

With that said she huffed and stalked off as most thirteen year olds were apt to do when they didn't get their way.

And though he would never tell her, he spent the entire night thinking about what she said. Until finally, he'd woken up at a ridiculously early time on a Sunday morning to get to church and then head to Mac's apartment. He'd come to a realization last night and only hoped he didn't embarrass himself when he told her what it was.

&&&&&&

The knocking didn't wake Mac, but a bleary eyed V, followed closely by a barely awake Duncan did, and they both glared at him as they opened the door.

"Oh, someone had better be hurt Weevil, like bleeding, are you bleeding?" she asked.

"No," he said, "Sorry, V, I was hoping Mac would hear me."

She smiled, "Sorry, Mac was up late making flashcards for a certain someone's test next week. You're going to need a lawnmower to wake her up."

Weevil smiled from ear to ear, "I think I can handle it."

V's eyes widened as she took in the look of pure glee on his face, "Good to hear it," she finally said and moved so he could slide past her. "Duncan and I are just going to go get some breakfast," she called as Eli slipped in Mac's room.

As he closed the door he heard Duncan whine, "Ronnie, I don't even have pants on."

"Shut up and move. Young love is emerging…and I for one do not want to hear it."

He shook his head as he closed the door behind him. He crept over to the bed and gently sat down next to Mac. She rolled towards him in her sleep. She must have been having a good dream because she suddenly smiled a huge bright smile that showed off her adorable dimples. Dimples he realized he wanted to lick. He wondered how long he'd been thinking things like that without realizing it.

Unwilling to wait any longer to tell her that he called her name softly, "Mac."

She shook her head and he smiled and brought his hand to her face, "Mac, wake up."

Her eyes opened softly and she pulled away when she realized someone else was in the room. She recognized him a second later and relaxed, only to freak out again as she looked down at her half dressed self. She pulled the covers to her chin, "Eli, what are you doing here?"

He suddenly felt a little dumb at the way he'd just burst in here, but hell he was in now, "I needed to tell you something."

"At…" she glanced over at her clock, "seven in the morning on a Sunday. What could possibly be so important?"

He leaned forward and kissed her, so softly that she didn't even have time to register it before he was pulling back, "I'm in love you, querida." He kissed her again and smiled against her lips when she pulled him closer. They rolled over the bed and she told him she loved him as he pressed kisses all over her body.

His last thought before he stopped thinking all together was that his niece was never going to let him hear the end of this.


End file.
